The Perfect Ending to the Not So Perfect Beginning
by PercivalThePanda
Summary: This is my story focusing on mainly Ginny and Harry's relationship set in the winter following the Second Wizarding War. I do not own the characters, I am only borrowing them for the purpose of this story. Enjoy and please review.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

'I do' the words left Ginny's lips.

She had snapped out of her daydream a second too late. 'Crap' she muttered under her breath realising that she had missed the question charms professor Flitwick had just asked her. Hermione nudged her in the ribs 'the answer is mobilarbus' , Ginny retorted the answer to Professor Flitwick and he continued the lesson. 'Thanks I owe you one' she muttered to Hermione. 'no problem, you were daydreaming again weren't you?' Ginny blushed a bright shade of scarlet 'whatever would give you that impression?' 'oh come on, it was obvious'

As Ginny walked to the common room after charms, only one thing or one particular person was on her mind – Harry Potter. She could not wait to see him, it had only been an hour since potions (7th and 8th years took certain lessons together) but to Ginny it seemed like an eternity in itself.

She stepped through the portrait that lead to the common room and there he was handsome as ever sitting in an arm chair beside the fire waiting for her. Ginny walked towards him and as he stood he grabbed her in a firm hug, holding her in his arms and for that second Ginny wished that she could stay there forever. Then he kissed her roughly on the mouth right in front of the whole common room! Ginny flushed a bright scarlet and buried her face in Harry's chest as to avoid the stares from the corners of the room.

They walked over to the place where Harry had been sitting previously and sat there for the remainder of the evening just gazing into each other's eyes. Ginny had never had feelings like this, now she knew what true love felt like.


	2. Hogsmeade

Chapter 2

The next day was one of the Saturdays that they were allowed to go to Hogsmeade. It had come at a perfect time for Ginny as it meant that she could finish her Christmas shopping early.

She walked into the village with her three best friends Hermione, Ron and Harry. (well her best friend, brother and boyfriend. That word still seemed strange to her – Harry was her boyfriend, she could never quite get used to it)

The group split with Ginny and Hermione and Ron and Harry going shopping together (Ginny and Hermione didn't like shopping with the boys as they moaned too much). Hermione and Ginny headed straight to Honeydukes their favourite sweet shop to buy some Berty Bott's every flavour beans among everything. Ginny loved Honeydukes with its colourful arrays of every type of sweet thing you could think of and the smell, well the smell made her mouth water.

After they had finished in Honeydukes, they went in search for the perfect present for Harry. It was their first Christmas together and she wanted to get him something extra special for him. They walked down the snowy high street until they arrived at a shop called Oswald's Owl Emporium (similar to the shop in Diagon Alley but owned by a different branch of the wizarding family). There in the window was the most magnificent Owl she had ever seen (well, apart from Hedwig), it was a charcoal black colour with large mesmerising green eyes (just like Harry's she thought). It was the one she just knew it would be perfect for Harry, it wasn't quite Hedwig but it was just as good she thought. She went into the shop to buy it when she looked at the price – 10 galleons, ouch that was more than she expected but he was worth it.

On the other side of Hogsmeade Harry was panicking, he hadn't got anything for Ginny for Christmas and he had no idea what to get her, good think Ron was cool with him dating his sister or things would be even worse.

As they walked down the bustling high street, Harry began to panic, they had been in Hogsmeade for nearly an hour now and all they had done was walk aimlessly down the street.

'Do you want to get a butter beer?' Ron asked him. 'Good idea, I am feeling a bit parched all of this shopping is thirsty work' Ron laughed and the two boys headed to the Three Broomsticks.

The Three Broomsticks was packed with Hogwarts students and staff so much so that Ron and Harry had to squeeze through the crowd to a deserted table at the back of the pub.

As they sat down Harry felt like he could finally relax, he hated shopping but it was a necessary part of the Christmas period and had to be done. It was a good thing that he had already got all of the other's presents sorted ( a box containing every type of candy from Honeydukes for Ron, a grow-your-own dress kit for Luna, an 800 galleon voucher for Madame Malkin's Robe shop for Hermione, a large tub of treacle toffees for Hagrid, a muggle rubber duck for Mr Weasley and some magical bath salts for Mrs Weasley) or else he would be screwed with it only being a week until the Christmas holidays.

After having successfully slurped down every drop of butter beer, the boys made their escape from the now unbearable packed Three Broomsticks and went in search for the perfect presents for Ginny and Hermione (whom Ron had only just remembered he hadn't got anything for).

At the end of the village they came across a little shop with a purple sign and crystals in the window. They entered the shop and noticed that it contained everything from statues to earrings and bath tubs all fashioned from the rarest of amethysts and other precious stones. It was here that Harry saw what he knew would be the perfect gift for Ginny. It was a beautifully carved amethyst statue about 2 or so ft high of a horse with its mane flowing fluidly behind its intricately detailed head. It was perfect for Ginny as her patronus was a horse and she had been slightly obsessed with them ever since Harry had met her some seven years ago.

Ron also brought from this shop a pair of sapphire earrings for Hermione, Hermione loved sapphires as they happened to be her birth stone (and the colour of Ron's eyes which Hermione felt was his best feature though she wouldn't admit it that that was her reasoning for favouring the stone to anyone bar her closest of friends).

When they had finished their shopping the group re-joined and headed back up the hill towards Hogwarts.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When they arrived back up in the warm castle, they preceded to the Gryffindor dormitories to hide their newly brought presents (luckily Ginny didn't need to collect the owl until the last day of term otherwise she would have no hope in getting it into the castle without Harry seeing it).

By the time Harry had found a suitable place for the crystal horse statue (the gap between his head board and the wall), it was time to head down to the great hall for dinner.

Harry and Ron found Ginny and Hermione in their usual spot at the table (between the 7th and 8th years). They were already digging in to what looked like roast beef with potatoes and some sort of sauce. There was an air of contentment all around the hall; well after all it was only a few weeks until the Christmas holidays and home for most of the students. This year, Harry and Hermione had been invited to spend Christmas at the Burrow with the rest of the Weasleys and Ginny was excited about finally telling her family about her and Harry's relationship and although Harry was like part of the family to the Weasleys, Ginny still was nervous about how they would take to the news.

The next few weeks came and went like a blizzard. The school day was surprisingly fun as the professors had given up with normal term-time activities and so just allowed the students to do as they wished with the only guidelines that it had to be Christmas themed and have something remotely to do with the subject so the time flew and before long Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and their friends were packing their trunks and filling into the Hogwarts Express for their long journey back to platform 9 3/4 . Harry had always loved his journeys on the train to Hogwarts especially now that he was free of the Dursleys once and for all.

Once they had found their places (Hermione next to Ron with his arm around her and Ginny snuggled into Harry's chest) they began to chat about the joys of the holiday period to come and when they had just about exhausted all the present clues without giving anything away, the foursome settled down and closed their eyes wrapped in their appropriate partner's arms.

When they arrived back in London, they were greeted warmly by Mr and Mrs Weasley before taking one of their hired ministry cars back to the safety of the burrow..


End file.
